India, July 3 -- The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 got underway on Thursday with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagging off the first batch of more than 4,800 pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp in Jammu.

The convoy, comprising 259 light and heavy vehicles, departed early in the morning under what officials described as unprecedented security arrangements. The road opening parties had sanitised the entire yatra route before the yatra convoy was flagged off from the base camp in Jammu. The quick reaction teams remained stationed along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at vantage locations to prevent any untoward incident.

Pilgrims received a traditional warm welcome along the route to the Kashmir Valley, with locals and d...